Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by his Brother
Chapter 88: _ Asking For Camilla’s Hands

Chapter 88: _ Asking For Camilla’s Hands

Camilla bloody fainted.

"Oh, for the love of..." I groaned as several attendants rushed to revive her.

It took way too long. Someone fanned her, another lifted her wrist, checking for a pulse. Meanwhile, Álvaro stood there looking indifferent, as if he hadn’t just shook the minds of everyone present.

If the wife-to-be just collapsed and the future groom was all cool and nonchalant about it, what was the future of that sort of union?

A few moments later, Camilla’s eyes fluttered open. She blinked rapidly, taking in the scene, and then...

She threw herself at Álvaro.

"My lord," she gasped, clutching at his arms, tears actually spilling down her cheeks. "Y-Yes! A thousand times, yes! I—" She choked on a sob, hardly able to speak. "I never thought... I never dared to dream that you would finally see me!"

Álvaro looked entirely too pleased with himself.

I, meanwhile, was seconds away from throwing myself out the nearest window.

Don Diego, who was once struck dumb by shock, finally regained his senses. His demeanor went from is this real life? to I am a very proud father.

"This... this is an honor," he said, nodding toward my parents. "After Álvaro rejected both Rosa and Camilla in the past, I never thought he would come back for any of them. And after María José humiliated him during the mating ceremony, I didn’t think he could still be kind enough to consider my family."

María José shrank even more at that.

I clenched my fists.

This was unbearable. The gloating. The theatrics. The complete disregard for her.

While Camilla continued her performance... now pressing herself into Álvaro’s chest as he graciously allowed it, I glanced at María José again.

She was staring down at her hands, twisting her fingers together like she’d rather the earth swallow her whole.

And in that moment, I knew.

I needed to get out of here. Fast.

I had come into this room with the intention of behaving, of keeping my head down and letting the politics play out as they always did. But between Camilla’s ridiculous announcement, Álvaro’s declaration, and María José looking like she was moments away from breaking apart, I was done.

I had never been the perfect son, and I never would be.

But right now? I was dangerously close to being the worst one because seeing that girl in pain was the last thing I could stand.

And, honestly? Unleashing chaos might just be worth it.

I was ready to storm out, but of course, my father couldn’t let me go that easily.

"Axel." It wasn’t a request. Hell, it wasn’t even a reprimand.

It was warning disguised as a single word.

I closed my eyes for a brief second, already regretting what was about to come.

"You’re forgetting something," he continued, folding his hands over the table.

I turned just enough to see him, my jaw tightening. "What now?"

My father arched a brow, his Alpha aura exuding the kind of authority that made grown men fall to their knees. "Your apology to Don Diego."

Right. That.

I had completely forgotten that part of the diplomatic circus we were supposed to be performing today.

"Axel," he repeated when I didn’t give a reaction.

I rolled my shoulders, hoping that would drive the tension out of them, though it was a useless effort. The truth was, I didn’t give a damn about Don Diego.

Or his daughters... except María José, of course. She was my little...

Hold up. Could I even dare to call her that again after everything that’s happened between us.

Or this entire bloody meeting. I cared about one thing: getting out of here before I either punched someone or did something worse... like set this entire dinner ablaze with my words alone.

But the longer I stood here, the harder my father’s gaze bore into me, and I knew that if I didn’t comply, I’d be hearing about this for the rest of my miserable life.

So, like a man being dragged to his execution, I turned to face Don Diego. The bastard didn’t even bother hiding the arrogant pleasure in his eyes.

I forced myself to ignore it and speak. "I apologize for my past mistake."

It was the shortest, most insincere apology I had ever given, and I was certain everyone in the room knew it.

Don Diego stared at me for a long moment. Then, ever so slowly, his brow curled into a sinister knit.

"If it weren’t for the Alpha’s presence," he paused, tapping a finger on his chin. "I would rather you dead than hear such an apology."

A lesser man might have flinched. Might have cowered. But I was not a lesser man.

I held his gaze with tenacious defiance. He was smart. He’d know that my silence was a challenge in itself.

Finally, he let out a dismissive huff. "But as it is, I accept your apology."

There was reluctance in his words, as if he had just done me the greatest favor of my life.

I said nothing. Didn’t nod. Didn’t thank him. Didn’t acknowledge him at all. Instead, I turned away and walked out before my father could find another excuse to keep me there.

I needed to see Luis. That was my safe space. I needed to rant; about María José, about the kiss, the blood drinking, and then, about my Father, what her Father had done to her, her sisters, and so on.

Luis needed to hear everything because only then would I have some peace. Only when I’d let out all the weight on my chest.

****

Outside; I reached for my car keys—only to remember I didn’t have them.

Of course.

We had arrived in the limousine. A formal family gathering required formal transportation, and unfortunately, that meant I was now stranded without a car.

A muscle twitched in my jaw.

I could have turned back and demanded a ride home, but that would mean going back inside. Seeing them again. Seeing her again.

No.

I would rather walk. So I did.

The Beta of the SilverMoon Pack, strolling down the main streets like some commoner who didn’t have a driver at his beck and call.

Well, considering me, that was no news. However, the pack members wouldn’t know since I always left the house in disguise, and not as dressed up as this.

The moment people noticed, it was like setting off a chain reaction; whispers. Stares.

Some pack members even dared to kneel as I passed, pressing their heads to the ground as if I were royalty descending from the heavens.

"Beta Axel..." a woman gasped, clutching her child’s arm. "He’s walking?"

"Yes, idiot. He has legs," someone else muttered.

I ignored them all and kept walking. That was how silly the pack’s dynamics were and I hated them to my core.

Today, I made a vow to myself; I would become the strongest Beta the pack had ever seen. I would rise in ranks, gain power, form an alliance with the pack’s greatest men.

I won’t stop there; I would stretch my alliance beyond the pack. Make friends with other Alphas, Betas, and highly influential werewolves far and wide.

Maybe, just maybe, put an end to the war between us and vampires so that I could stretch my alliance to vampire lords as well. I won’t stop there; elves, witches, fairies... name them.

The power they all reminded me I didn’t have now, I would gain all and then make a comeback. Me, Luis, and María José would bring them all to their knees.

I swear on my soul.